--- title: "How to edit a PDF on Windows 10 and 11 for free (no upload)" description: "Three free ways to edit a PDF on Windows 10 and 11, from quick notes in Edge to changing the actual text, without uploading your file or paying for Acrobat." url: https://paperwingapp.com/guides/edit-pdf-on-windows/ --- 1. [Home](https://paperwingapp.com/) 2. [Guides](https://paperwingapp.com/guides/) 3. How to edit a PDF on Windows for free Guide # How to edit a PDF on Windows, for free. Whether you need to fix a typo, fill in a form or change a whole paragraph, here are the free options that come with Windows, and the one that edits the text itself. By [Rohan Vijaykumar](https://rohanvijaykumar.cv/) · October 20, 2026 · 5 min read “Editing a PDF” means different things. Adding a note or a signature is easy almost anywhere. Changing the words that are already in the PDF is harder, and it’s where most free tools stop. Here’s what each option can do. ## Option 1: Microsoft Edge (built into Windows) Edge opens PDFs and lets you **draw** , **highlight** , **add text notes** and **fill in simple forms** . Open the PDF in Edge, use the toolbar at the top, then save. It’s good for quick markup. It can’t change the existing text, swap images, merge files or convert to Word. ## Option 2: Microsoft Word (if you have it) Word can open a PDF and convert it into an editable document: in Word, **File** , **Open** , and choose the PDF. Edit it, then **File** , **Save As** , PDF. This works for simple, text-heavy documents. Layouts with columns, tables or graphics often shift during the conversion, so check the result carefully. ## Option 3: Paperwing (free, edits the text in place) · [Paperwing](https://paperwingapp.com/) is a free, open-source desktop app for Windows 10 and 11. Its **Edit text & images** tool lets you click a paragraph in the PDF and type, with the text reflowing as you go, so the layout stays as it was. 1. [Download Paperwing](https://paperwingapp.com/download/) and install it (or use the portable version, no install needed). 2. Open your PDF: drag it onto the window or press Ctrl+O. 3. Open **All tools** and choose **Edit text & images** . 4. Click the text you want to change and type. Use the Format panel to change the font, size, colour or alignment. Click an image to move, resize or replace it. 5. The edited PDF opens in a new tab. Press Ctrl+S to save, or Shift+Ctrl+S to keep the original too. Paperwing runs on your PC, so your document is never uploaded. It also covers the jobs around editing: [sign](https://paperwingapp.com/tools/sign-pdf/) , [fill forms](https://paperwingapp.com/tools/fill-pdf-form/) , [merge](https://paperwingapp.com/tools/merge-pdf/) , [compress](https://paperwingapp.com/tools/compress-pdf/) and [convert to Word](https://paperwingapp.com/tools/pdf-to-word/) , all free. ## What about online PDF editors? Online editors work, but your file goes to someone else’s server to be edited. For anything personal, like a contract, a tax form or a medical record, a desktop app that works offline is the safer choice. ## If the PDF is a scan A scanned PDF is a picture of a page, so there’s no text to edit yet. Run [OCR](https://paperwingapp.com/tools/ocr-pdf/) first to recognize the text, then edit it. ## Quick answers **Can I edit a PDF without Adobe Acrobat?** Yes. Edge and Word cover basic cases, and Paperwing edits the text itself, for free. **Is it safe to edit a PDF online?** It means uploading the document. For sensitive files, edit on your computer instead. **How do I edit a PDF that’s locked?** If you know the password, [unlock it](https://paperwingapp.com/tools/unlock-pdf/) first. Paperwing won’t remove passwords you don’t know. ## Open your next PDF in Paperwing. Free for Windows and macOS. No account, no subscription, nothing to sign up for. [Download for Windows](https://github.com/rohanvijaykumar/paperwing/releases/download/v1.2.3/Paperwing-Setup-1.2.3-x64.exe) · [Download for Mac](https://github.com/rohanvijaykumar/paperwing/releases/download/v1.2.3/Paperwing-1.2.3-mac-arm64.dmg) · [Download Paperwing](https://paperwingapp.com/download/) · [Star on GitHub](https://github.com/rohanvijaykumar/paperwing) v1.2.3 · Windows 10 and 11 · 188 MB v1.2.3 · Apple Silicon · 192 MB · [Intel Mac?](https://paperwingapp.com/download/#mac) Free for Windows and macOS · v1.2.3 [Other versions](https://paperwingapp.com/download/)